Flashback in the Park
by eyeliveonmusic
Summary: My friends and I made a randomized writing prompt generator and this is what I came up with. Setting: picnic in the park; genre: adventure; object: knife; fandom: Tomb Raider. I cried while writing it and sent it to my friend who yelled at me and told me to rewrite the ending, so there's two endings to pick from. Trigger warning inside. After Yamatai.
My friends and I made up a randomized writing prompt generator and this is what I came up with. I cried while writing it and when I sent it to my friend to read, she made me write an alternate ending, so you get your choices of endings.

 **Trigger warning for self harm and suicide**

Setting: Picnic at park

Genre: Adventure

Object: Knife

Fandom: Tomb Raider

It was supposed to be a nice day in the park, just a simple picnic in the park. I haven't been out with Sam since Yamatai. We both just kept to ourselves, held up in our rooms, trying to be away from any outside world. But I knew eventually we'd have to get back out here. Eventually, we'd have to be a part of society again. It's been over a month since we've gotten home. So I came up with the idea of a nice picnic.

It was a beautiful day. No rain, which was nice. So we set out for the farthest corner in a quiet park. It was a start. We set up our blanket and took out our sandwiches. It started off fine. We were laughing again. God we haven't done that in ages it seems. Seeing Sam smile again, it gave me hope that everything would be okay.

But soon her smile faded. I could tell she was having flash backs to Yamatai. The trip that was supposed to be our adventure after college. The trip that I ruined for everyone. The trip where I lost my friends. The trip where I lost my father figure. The trip where I almost lost my best friend. All because I had to finish my fathers work.

I unwillingly went on the flashback trip with her. Both of us sat silent.

Sam's face changed suddenly. It was white.

She still wouldn't talk to me about Yamatai, but I knew she was thinking about Himiko and what happened when she was with Mathias.

I tried to break free from my own memories, and get her back to safety, back into my arms. I held her close as she sobbed.

"I can't do it, Lara. I just can't."

"Shh, I know sweetie. But you can. We both can. It's just going to take some time. I'm sorry I made you come out here today." I stroked her hair as she laid on my shoulder.

"How are you so strong, Lara? You lost Alex and Grim. You lost Roth. How are you staying so strong?"

I wanted to tell her how badly I wasn't. I wasn't strong. I was weak. I couldn't do this anymore. The only thing keeping me strong, was her. I had to be here for Sam. Just as she was here for me.

We decided a picnic wasn't the best idea. Maybe if we went home and watched a calm movie on the couch, under a blanket, everything would be better.

So we went home.

Before we started a movie, Sam wanted to wash up. She went to the bathroom.

A few minutes passed and she still wasn't back. I made my way to the bathroom, and on the way there I saw the kitchen drawer open. The one where we kept the knives. I ran to the bathroom. The door was locked. I kicked it open. It's like Yamatai all over again. I used the strength I didn't know I had.

The floor was covered in blood. More than I thought possible. There was a note scrawled on the mirror in red lipstick. "I can't do it anymore, Lara. I feel like Himiko is taking over me. You're stronger, you always were. I love you. I'm sorry. I love you."

Sam was lying by the window, the sun shining down on her.

Alternate ending

A few minutes passed and she still wasn't back. I made my way to the bathroom, and on the way there I saw the kitchen drawer open. The one where we kept the knives. I ran to the bathroom. The door was locked. I kicked it open. It's like Yamatai all over again. I used the strength I didn't know I had.

I saw Sam sitting on the floor, rocking back and forth, a knife laying at her side.

"I can't even do this, Lara." She sobbed. Her words were barely audible. "I'm too weak to even stop all this pain."

I wanted to tell her she wasn't, she was strong. Stronger than me. Stronger than anyone I knew. But all I could do was hold her again. So I did. I held her and rocked back and forth with her.

We sat here for awhile. Me holding her and she sobbed into my lap.

"I just feel like Himiko is too strong. She won't stop. She haunts me, Lara. I can't sleep at night because all I see is Himiko. Every time I look in the mirror, I see Himiko. I just-"she coughed. "I can't do it anymore, Lara. I want it to all end."

"Sam-"

She stifled her sobs with another cough.

"Sam, you're stronger than you think. You went through so much. So much that no one should ever go through. Ever. And you're still here."

"But I don't want to be." She cried again. I cried with her.

"We're going to get through this, Sam. I promised you we would."

"How many times are you going to save me, Lara Croft?" She looked up at me, the tears subdued for now.

"One day, I'm might be the one who needs saving."

"I promise I'll be there for you." She laid her head back in my lap. "I love you, Lara."

"I love you too, Sam."


End file.
